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Chapter 7
Quantitative Research Designs
Activity: Designing a Quantitative Study #1
Assign students to read the entire journal article about any of the experiments or quasi-experiments used
as examples in this chapter, telling them to pay close attention to the article’s future research section.
Activity: Designing a Quantitative Study #2
1. Assign students the following steps to develop a research study for two variables as an experimental,
quasi-experimental, or descriptive design. Encourage them to base the assignment on their own research
2. Draw a visual model of the study. Be sure that your diagram depicts an experimental, quasi–
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Worksheet—Designing Quantitative Research
1. Cross out the characteristics that are not associated with each type of research design:
Experimental
Manipulation of
independent variable
Random assignment of participants to
treatments or conditions
Quasi-experimental
Manipulation of
independent variable
Random assignment of participants to
treatments or conditions
Descriptive
Manipulation of
independent variable
Random assignment of participants to
treatments or conditions
2. Explain how researcher manipulation of an independent variable is different from natural variation of
an independent variable. Give an example of each.
3. A researcher wants to test the effectiveness of three different methods of improving individuals’ public
speaking performances. Provide brief descriptions of three treatments and the control.
a. Treatment #1:
b. Treatment #2:
4. In a factorial design there are two _______________ variables and one_______________ variable. Using
participant sex (female, male) and leadership background (experienced, inexperienced), graph the
independent variables in the box below.
Variable: _________________________
Variable:
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A main effect for the variable _______________ would be evident if the scores on the dependent variable
were the same for participants in boxes _______________ yet different from participants in boxes
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Activity: What Design Principles Should We Adhere To?
Over the years I’ve asked my students (undergraduate and graduate) to provide a piece of advice for
other students design quantitative research projects. Here’s their list (in their words, and in no particular
order). What would you or your students add?
2. The literature review should build the case for what you want to do and how you want to do it.
4. Your research should be grounded in theory.
6. A solid literature review goes beyond description; it should be a critique of the literature.
7. Research should move the field forward, intellectually and practically (no “gee whiz” studies).
Answering “so what?” is key.
9. Designs must be examined for conflicts (e.g., you wouldn’t have a manipulation in a cross–
sectional study).
11. Don’t over survey your participants, but get what you need.
13. Have the most robust research design possible.
15. Know the difference between research questions and hypotheses.
17. Research should be parallel from literature review through method, analysis, and discussion.
19. Ethical and moral problems need to be addressed in the research design. All research designs
have these issues, even if they are minimal.
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Additional Resources
Aronson, E., Wilson, T. D., & Brewer, M. B. (1998). Experimentation in social psychology. In D. T. Gilbert,
S. T. Fiske, & G. Lindzey (Eds.), The handbook of social psychology (Vol. 1, pp. 99-142). Boston, MA:
McGraw-Hill.
Ayres, J., Hopf, T., & Will, A. (2000). Are reductions in CA an experimental artifact? A Solomon four-group
answer. Communication Quarterly, 48, 19–26. doi:10.1080/01463370009385576
Using variables that undergraduates will be familiar with, the research team uses a Solomon four-group
experimental design to validate reductions in communication apprehension.
Gray, J. (2014). Eating up experiments: Teaching research methods with classroom simulation and food
detectives. Communication Teacher, 28, 203-207. doi:10.1080/17404622.2014.939670
Using the television show, Food Detectives, on the Food Network (http://www.foodnetwork.com/
shows/food-detectives), Professor Gray describes a teaching method for introducing quantitative research
design that uses food (things you touch, see, feel) in lieu of often-unobservable communication
constructs.
Using a longitudinal research design, the research team used three questionnaires across five months to
examine pilots’ reaction to uncertainty caused by acquisition.
Morrow, J. A., Kelly, S., & Skolits, G. (2013). Reducing power differentials in the classroom using student–
based quantitative research scenarios: Applications in undergraduate and graduate research
methods classrooms. Communication Teacher, 27, 156-160. doi:10.1080/17404622.2013.775469
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Web Resources
For a list of Internet resources, visit https://www.joannkeyton.com/research-methods